Waterfall rocking sadness

[sissy]

everything looks wrong until plants come to the rescue

 

[CreatureBlackLagoon]

Hi @addy1! I was thinking of creeping Jenny... Love the Thyme, too! I went for an hours-long walk around our biggest lake Sunday in search of driftwood with no luck. Everything was just rotten and gross. I know a garden center that sells it, but I'd hate to pay for freaking branches! I miss my old ocean walking days on the east coast. Great tips on the boulders! Thank you so very much.

Am thinking some blue-eyed grass in the back. It's next to the fence so will get some shade.

@Lisak1 Sedum is another great bet! Question about planting around rocks: I've seen some pond waterfalls with beautiful ground cover plants growing, it seems, right out of the rocks! Do people just put some dirt in the nooks and crannies?

@herzausstahl Thanks for jumping in! This was the plan, to keep going up in steps with the fieldstone. But, the slope isn't steep enough...the stones get too high when placed. So we're trouble shooting now.... More like taking a break so we don't fill the hole in with dirt! I really like the babbling stream look and sound... a big dramatic waterfall isn't what I've envisioned... But I'm challenged in how to lay the rocks. We have lots of flagstone, pea gravel, and also lots of river rocks, both of the round and flat variety. Ideally, we would have done more research before shaping the berm, and we wouldn't have put concrete over it! (I wasn't too involved in that decision, ha ha.)

 

[Lisak1]

Do people just put some dirt in the nooks and crannies?

A little dirt or even just the root ball - most things just need to be held in place long enough for the roots to take hold. Experiment and see what works - that's all gardening is anyway, right?

 

[Usman]

u will need atleast 6in deep x6in wide hole with good planting soil for a plant to grow nicely, some hardy plants will do in less but there shud b a place where water is traped and then drains away , best is when they are planted directly in ground . depends more on plants if u get mudy plants they can remain in hole without drain . thats my experience here , others can share if its different in there environment .

 

[Meyer Jordan]

but what really helps boulders look like they have always been there is bury part of them, the rule is bury around 1/3-1/2 so they do not look like they were just placed on the ground.

Something that is overlooked by most. Great that you mentioned it.

 

[Meyer Jordan]

@addy1 and @Lisak1 Yes! I anxiously await planting! I agree about the rocks... we are having... creative differences over here.

Refer to Nature. You can find all of the reference photos you will ever need on Google. Search words to use "waterfall"' "stream", "cascade".

 

[addy1]

This is my ex-house in Arizona, these boulders are huge and buried partially.

 

[Lisak1]

Refer to Nature

Exactly! I spend hours studying the things in nature that are pleasing to the eye and trying to break down why they appeal to me. You don't need an exact replica - you just need to mimic the elements that you see.

 

[herzausstahl]

Something that is overlooked by most. Great that you mentioned it.

I've always tended to initially do it with mulch, lol great minds think alike!

 

[herzausstahl]

A little dirt or even just the root ball - most things just need to be held in place long enough for the roots to take hold. Experiment and see what works - that's all gardening is anyway, right?

I have weeds rooting in between mine. Dirt & sediment finds a way over time.

 

[herzausstahl]

Hi @addy1! I was thinking of creeping Jenny... Love the Thyme, too! I went for an hours-long walk around our biggest lake Sunday in search of driftwood with no luck. Everything was just rotten and gross. I know a garden center that sells it, but I'd hate to pay for freaking branches! I miss my old ocean walking days on the east coast. Great tips on the boulders! Thank you so very much.

Am thinking some blue-eyed grass in the back. It's next to the fence so will get some shade.

@Lisak1 Sedum is another great bet! Question about planting around rocks: I've seen some pond waterfalls with beautiful ground cover plants growing, it seems, right out of the rocks! Do people just put some dirt in the nooks and crannies?

@herzausstahl Thanks for jumping in! This was the plan, to keep going up in steps with the fieldstone. But, the slope isn't steep enough...the stones get too high when placed. So we're trouble shooting now.... More like taking a break so we don't fill the hole in with dirt! I really like the babbling stream look and sound... a big dramatic waterfall isn't what I've envisioned... But I'm challenged in how to lay the rocks. We have lots of flagstone, pea gravel, and also lots of river rocks, both of the round and flat variety. Ideally, we would have done more research before shaping the berm, and we wouldn't have put concrete over it! (I wasn't too involved in that decision, ha ha.)

Try layering the flag stone like you have & then angle the last rock at 30-60 degrees or whatever needed to bridge the gap & keep the stream look going. Water running over the flag stones will look great. See photo below. Purple is the angled rock.

 

[herzausstahl]

Also you could adjust the rock circled here to create a waterfall lip into the pond if wanted by the looks of it.

 

[CreatureBlackLagoon]

@herzausstahl I think it's not steep enough for that... Here are some more close up shots. I think we just have to use smaller, flat river rocks and gravel and waterfall foam...

 

[CreatureBlackLagoon]

But ya'll are all right... We're gonna fill it up and see what the water level is and how to continue. Thank you for all your advice and support~

 

[herzausstahl]

This is from my pond from almost 6 yrs ago, but the concept can be used in yours. I actually was trying to copy the look of a natural rocked stream around here (don't have a pic at the moment). Just layer them going up & use waterfall foam underneath to get the water to flow over. WEAR GLOVES when using waterfall foam. Takes forever to get off if you touch, I learned the hard way. And ask all the questions you want, for a lot of us it's as fun to help others with their ponds as building our own. For your stream, try a few different combos & run a hose over it to get a visual of what the water will do. Waterfall foam will just enhance the amount that flows over the rocks & not under. Just remember it's like "Great Stuff" in that it will expand.